Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 2, 2025

Author Spotlight: Unveiling Mechanisms of Stress Resilience - Significant Findings, Advancements, and Future Research
Published on: December 15, 2023
Negative and protective experiences influencing the well-being of refugee children resettling in Germany: a
Shaymaa Abdelhamid1, Jutta Lindert2, Joachim Fischer3
1Medical Faculty Mannheim, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health (CPD), Division of General Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany shaymaa.abdelhamid@medma.uni-heidelberg.de.
Objective:
Conflict, forced migration and searching for safety in a foreign land are all experiences common to refugee children. They experience potentially traumatic events that are distinct from the general population, yet current adverse childhood experience (ACE) studies do not cover these events. Studies that do examine refugee children's experiences typically focus on a single stage of migration or adversities from the community, offering insight into only a fraction of their realities. This study aimed to identify potentially traumatising and protective experiences subjectively perceived as influencing refugee children's well-being from all stages of migration and all socio-ecological levels.
Design:
Qualitative study with thematic analysis of semi-structured individual and group interviews. Themes were organised within a socio-ecological model.
Setting:
Non-profit organisations, youth welfare facilities and societies that organise civic engagement for refugee families in the Rhine-Neckar region in Germany provided rooms where interviews could be conducted.
Participants:
Refugee parents and children who spoke one of the four most common languages of those seeking asylum in Germany in 2018 were included. This study excluded refugees who were not fleeing a conflict area. Forty-seven refugee parents and 11 children (aged 8-17 years) from Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and Eritrea participated.
Results:
Eight major themes emerged from interviews including six reflecting potentially negative experiences and two potentially protective themes. These themes evolved from experiences such as family dispersion, displacement, rigorous immigration and national policies, as well as constructive parenting and community support.
Conclusion:
It is increasingly important to identify these diverse experiences as the refugee population continues to grow, and the increased prevalence of poor health outcomes in refugee children continues to be widely documented. Identifying ACEs specifically relevant to refugee children could contribute to understanding potential pathways and could further serve as a starting point for tailored interventions.
Related Concept Videos
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Childhood
The first four of Erikson's eight...

